Ever I Saw Your Face, a Thieves in Time story 7
by Orion Lyonesse
Summary: Avon comes to his senses after he returns from dealing with Anna Grant. Vila finally gets some of what he's owed, for following and loving Avon so loyally for so long. Follows 'Safe.' A/V
1. Chapter 1

*Stationary Earth orbit in twenty minutes,* the sonorous voice announced.

"Thank you, Zen," Tarrant responded. "ORAC, are all the coordinates set in the teleport?"

+They are.+

Vila stood as ORAC's voice died away, then left the flight deck without a word, a grim, determined look on his normally placid face.

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The thief stood before Avon's open cabin and peered in. The tech was making final preparations for the most desperate mission of his career.

"Are you certain of this?" Vila asked from the corridor.

"Yes."

Vila entered then and closed the door behind him. "The homing device is sending all right, then?"

Avon ran a hand up his neck, stopping short of his hairline, and sighed, "Yes, and ORAC is monitoring. When I make contact with Shrinker, you'll all know. The rest of the plan is set." He looked at Vila. "I trust you can take care of your part in this?"

"I know what to do, Avon. I've all the equipment you gave me, ready to teleport to the cavern."

"No complaints of being afraid of the dark?"

He shook his head. "Would it matter?"

A half smile. "Probably not."

"I'll have it all put together by the time you…" Vila faltered, swallowing the rest of the words.

"Before I go down," Avon's voice softened, "I think there are some things that I should tell you." He took Vila's hand in his. "We both know the odds are that I' won't survive…"

"Avon, don't!" Vila protested. His philosophy had always been: If you didn't say a thing, maybe it wouldn't happen. He knew he was being childish and alarmist, but, where Avon was concerned, he just couldn't help himself.

"No, let me finish," Avon said gently. "I just wanted you to know that, all those years ago, I did care for you very much…and still do." He looked down at the deck, unable to face the thief. "Don't forget me, but...don't grieve if I don't come back."

Vila pulled his hand free and grasped Avon's upper arms. He shook him slightly. "None of this is necessary, Avon, none of it!"

"But it is, Vila." Avon fixed his gaze on Vila, willing him to understand. "I must put an end to Shrinker for all time, then Anna's ghost can finally rest. And so can I," he finished softly.

"Revenge isn't your style, Avon."

Tarrant's voice interrupted them from the comm panel. "Avon?"

"Yes?"

"We'll be within teleport range in two minutes. Are you ready?"

"No, but I have no other choice. I'm on my way."

As Avon reached the cabin doorway, Vila called after him, "I love you, Avon."

The tech simply nodded and walked away.

Vila watched him leave as he had done so many times in the past. "You will come back to me, I know it," he whispered to the now empty corridor.

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The basement of Servalan's palace exuded an air of bygone days with its rough brick walls, exposed beams and clutter. Avon faced Anna with a look of despair, hearing her words to him.

"Is there someone else?"

He drew a shaky breath. "No, there's no one else…now."

Unable to look into her face any longer, he turned his back on her.

"Avon!"

He whirled, saw the gun pointed at him, and fired without hesitation. He caught her as she fell, cradling her in his arms.

"…well, at least that was honest…"

"…we were well matched, Avon…"

"…I was only ever Anna Grant with you…"

"…of all the things I've ever known myself to be, I never recognized the fool…"

"…it was all lies, Avon. I let you go…my love…"

Avon held the still-warm body, his eyes closed, denying the sight of his former love, dead by his own hands.

"Oh, no," he whispered. "You never let me go…you never did."

He seemed almost not to hear as Servalan taunted him from her chains. He drew his weapon and fired, releasing her.

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A/N: With both his lady loves behind him, feeling betrayed, how will Avon cope? Is it time for him to try a different path? See what he does in Part 2: Decisions and Promises.


	2. Decisions and Promises

"Corpse reviver?" Vila held out the glass, hoping his utter relief at Avon's return wasn't too obvious to the rest of the crew. He watched as Avon downed the liquid, rose to his feet and dusted his hands off.

"The rumours of my death…" he said to no one in particular.

"…have been greatly exaggerated," Tarrant finished for him.

He offered a slight twist of his lips in amusement. "Well, slightly exaggerated anyway," the tech corrected, replacing the teleport bracelet. He sent a quick glance in Vila's direction, then walked ponderously, wearily, to his quarters.

His thoughts were such a whirl, Avon knew he had to be alone to make sense of them, before making any decisions regarding his future. He resolved then and there to let the past die. He would bury it later.

Entering his silent cabin, he collapsed on the bunk and fell into a deep slumber almost immediately.

Avon dreamed. His dreams recalled the previous five pain-filled days, his revenge on the one called Shrinker and, finally, the horrible realization of his betrayal by Anna Grant. He awoke drenched in sweat, still feeling the cold metal against his cheek where Servalan had caressed him with his own gun.

His thoughts tumbled over each betrayal. One by one, they added to his mounting sense of failure and lingered deep within his soul. Briefly, he considered ending his own life but a sunny voice from somewhere called him back with words of love freely given, which he'd taken and rejected, which was then offered yet again, even in the face of unspeakable violence. Suddenly, he knew with analytical certainty where his future happiness lay. There was only one who had never, could never betray him. And that one slept in the cabin next to his.

With new resolve in his mind and a feeling his heart still refused to give name to, Avon stood at the entrance to Vila's quarters.

He signaled, asking, "May I come in?"

The door slid to one side for him and Avon stood unmoving at first, then entered the dimly lit cabin.

He regarded the figure reclining on the bunk and approached slowly, each succeeding step reinforcing the rightness of his decision. He knelt and reached to stroke the thief's warm face.

"What can I do to make it up to you, Vila?"

Vila sat up, startled by Avon's tenderness and the seriousness of his gaze. "Make what up to me?" Both eyebrows rose. This wasn't like Avon, at least the Avon he'd lived with for so long.

"All those others…Tynus, Anna," Avon lowered his eyes, "…and even when Blake and I…and you never abandoned me, never betrayed me."

Vila shook his head, trying to stop his friend from proceeding. He was almost sure Avon would regret saying these things. Almost. But oh, how he wanted to hear these words, had imagined them so many times. Still. "You don't need to do this, Avon."

"Yes. I do." The tech's fingers continued to stroke Vila's face, encountering moisture that hadn't been there a moment before. "I was the fool, Vila, not you, and I think it's time we stopped playing this game."

"What game would that be, Avon?" Maybe they weren't heading the same way. Maybe he was hearing only what he wanted to hear. Maybe, maybe, he was dreaming again.

"I'm tired of hiding behind the lie." Avon seemed to consider his next words very carefully. "And I think it's time we got on with our lives…together."

"Together?" Vila repeated. Could he mean…? After so long? After so many obstacles? After…everything that had happened between them?

"Yes, Vila. You and me…together." He waved a dismissive hand in the air. "But we'll discuss the details later, in my cabin. I think what we need is a witness."

"A witness? To what?" Just when Vila thought he knew what was happening, Avon threw in something he didn't understand. Typical, though.

Avon, all seriousness up until now, cracked a smile. "To make it official," he said, as though explaining things to a child.

Vila was confused at first, but daring to hope. "You mean...us?"

"I believe that is what I said." Avon held out his hand. "Come with me, Vila…please."

He stood, stepping into his shoes next to the bed. "Where are we going?"

"The flight deck."

"But it's late watch," Vila protested. "Cally's on duty alone."

"Precisely," Avon said with a wry grin. "We need a witness, not an audience."

The two men walked silently to the flight deck in search of their quarry. Even before they reached the entry stairs, the soft muted strains of Cally's harp could be heard. They knew she often whiled away late watch hours thusly. It seemed fitting as they walked down the stairs side by side.

They waited until she'd finished and laid the instrument aside. "Cally?" Avon called out softly.

"Vila…and Avon, shouldn't you be resting?" she accused the tech, frowning at him.

Avon grinned at her. "I was, but I discovered something that needed to be taken care of."

The pair walked towards the Auron. "What is it?" she asked, puzzled. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, Cally," Avon replied. "In fact, something's very right for the first time in years. We do need your help just now, though."

He didn't explain further. He turned to face Vila, taking Vila's hands in his, and began to speak very softly, looking the thief in the eye. "I promise to care for you from this day, Vila. I offer you my faithfulness and…" he hesitated, "my loyalty, beyond my life." He drew a deep breath. "I swear it."

Vila blinked back threatening tears. All those years, he'd dreamed of a day when he and Avon could make some kind of public commitment to each other. But it had always been a hopeless fantasy. Now he was suddenly confronted with reality in black leather.

"Well, Vila," Avon prompted with a tentative smile, "do I get a reciprocal promise?"

"Uh, of course." The thief reached inside himself, to that secret place he'd hidden the words he had always wanted to say to the man standing before him, words he'd thought would remain buried forever.

"Avon," he began softly, "I promise to be faithful to you, to stand beside you and…love you for as long as I live. I swear it."

Then, before an astonished Cally could recover, Avon leaned forward and placed a shy but lingering kiss on a surprised Vila Restal's lips.

Cally watched, silently fascinated at the spontaneous ceremony. Never in her wildest imagination could she have conjured something like this. She knew Avon would never admit his love for Vila in front of anyone, possibly not even to Vila himself, but he'd gone further than ever before with his vow of loyalty and faithfulness.

Avon broke the spell by turning away and handing her the discarded harp. "Sing something for us, Cally, please." He sat, pulling Vila down beside him, their hands till clasped.

She strummed the strings, remembering something she'd learned from a recording of ancient Earth folk songs. Avon recognized it and smiled.

_The first time ever I saw your face,_

_I thought the sun rose in your eyes,_

_And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave_

_To the dark and the empty skies, my love_

_To the dark and the empty skies._

She saw the two men look at one another, then began the second verse.

_The first time ever I kissed your mouth,_

_I felt the earth move in my hand,_

_Like the trembling heart of a captive bird,_

_That was there at my command, my love,_

_That was there, at my command._

Vila drew a deep sigh as he felt Avon put an arm around his shoulder, drawing him closer. He knew how the last verse was worded. He closed his eyes, letting the words flow over him.

_The first time ever I lay with you,_

_I felt your heart beat, so close to mine,_

_I knew our joy would fill the worlds,_

_And would last till the end of time, my love._

_And would last till the end of time._

_Ewan MacColl, 1957._

She continued to play softly, though the words were done.

Not seeming to care that Cally was present, Avon pulled Vila close, kissing him softly, slowly. "I care for you, Vila," he whispered against the other man's lips. "So very much. I just can't seem to…"

Vila's fingertip stayed Avon's lips. "I understand, Avon," Vila whispered back.

Cally moved to the far end of the deck, allowing them to be as alone as possible without abandoning her watch.

After several minutes of sitting, holding each other close, they wordlessly rose and headed for Avon's quarters, knowing they could count on Cally to keep the secret between the three of them. Of course, Tarrant and the others would surely make ribald comments, should they ever decide to consolidate their living quarters openly. For now, though, it was just the two of them and they had the rest of the late watch to be alone together.

On the now empty flight deck, Cally picked up her harp and began to sing softly to herself. "_The first time_…"

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A/N: Yes, yes, I know. It's about time Avon came to his senses! This is a good start, but how will it play out? Boy's Night Out, the next chapter/story, is a bit of fluff that finds Vila unhappy with the way Avon is treating him and he resolves to do something about it, with the help of the rest of the crew.


End file.
